Sonic Unity (ARCHIVED)
by SilverAce06
Summary: Long ago, two races lived in harmony, humans and Mobians. That was until the Great Rift, which sent them galaxies apart. But when this past is uncovered by Gerald Robotnik, he finds he must unite them against an evil threat in order to save his world. This sparks the beginning of the Sonic Unity story, one of mighty heroes, powerful villains and prophecies waiting to be fulfilled.
1. Prequel Issue: Isle of the Ancients

**Sonic Unity Issue 0 - Prequel Issue: Isle of the Ancients**

_Gerald Robotnik was recently given a chance to put on hold his duties as head of the ARK, a top-secret government space station. He was asked to do this in order to study the mysterious ruins of the Isle of the Ancients, a classified area 1000 miles east of the coast of Peru. The trip was to begin on the 20th of June and last a week, which thereafter he would return to the ARK and continue his research into superweapons development and extraterrestrial contact. Unbeknownst to the doctor, the secrets uncovered would ultimately lead to both his greatest creations and his downfall.  
_

* * *

_Date: June 21, 1949  
Time: 17:03  
Planet: Earth  
Place: Isle of the Ancients_

**Gerald Robotnik**

I ran my hand across the coarse, dirt-encrusted walls of what was left of the ruins of the Ancients. For two and a half days, I dedicated my every waking moment to uncovering everything I could about this astonishing island. The great civilization that lived here tens of thousands of years ago had left behind many clues to its past if you knew how to decipher the code.

My grandson, Ivo, had come with me. Although he is only a teen, Ivo has become my most trusted assistant and right-hand man. I've taught him almost everything I know about the Ancients and shared my work on the ARK with him, even though it's classified. The G.U.N. wasn't very pleased that I let him be in the know, but they couldn't afford to lose me. So, as long as I keep him near me, I won't risk the secret getting out, or losing my job.

The afternoon sun beat down on my back as I studied the pillars of an old temple on the outskirts of the island. The messages carved into its stone surface were almost completely faded, making them very difficult to decode.

I looked over my shoulder at Ivo, who was writing something down on his clipboard, deep in thought. I smiled, his curiosity and wonder about the world never failed to inspire me.

"Grandfather, I think I found something!" he said, dropping his pencil onto the clipboard and rushing to my side. He pointed to the section of the wall he was deciphering just a moment ago. "You know how the Ancients have been referring to a 'sacred shrine?'"

I nodded as my grandson tapped a section of the paper on the board with his pencil. "Well, I think I may have found out where it's at!"

I squinted at his jumbled handwriting and tried to make out what he had decoded.

'At the origin, we hail the Master and it's servers. Heroes of history and those yet to come, all beginning at the Emeralds. Sacred are the gems of chaos and the glimpses we are given into the future of our world through the phantom.'

"The origin…" he said, scrunching his brows together. "The beginning, but of what?"

"What if by 'origin' the Ancients are referring not to the beginning, but the center, like a central city?" I wondered aloud. "The plan was to try to cover the entire island starting at the western side, but what you just uncovered leads me to believe that it would be more important for us to search there instead."

Ivo grinned. "Then what are we waiting for? We've only got six days to find this hidden shrine! Let's go!"

I chuckled as I grabbed my bag. "We're headed for the center of the island, we'll meet you there at seven," I said into my communicator. "Ivo may have just found out something huge."

"Roger," the commander responded. "Do you need a ride there?"

"No, but thanks, a little stretching my legs would feel nice right about now. The trip from the ARK to here felt like a million years," I said back to him.

"Okay. If you change your mind or run into any issues, just call."

I pressed the end call button and stuck the device into my pack. "You ready?"

"Yep, let's go," my grandson said. And with that, we both headed past the overgrown columns and towards the center of the island.

**xxx**

**Ivo Robotnik**

I looked around me at the beautiful ruins. How could a civilization this old build structures so huge, yet so intricate?

Even though the ancient buildings were covered in ivy and moss, they still held their grandeur. And the area surrounding them only added to the beauty of the place. Lush green grass, spiraled ferns, and colorful flowers poked out of every nook and cranny. There were also huge trees that housed stunning creatures, gray squirrels, chipmunks, and birds of all colors lay nestled in their branches.

Ahead of me, Grandpa studied his compass and occasionally checked his map. I felt bad he couldn't enjoy the amazing view, but navigation was never my strong suit.

About a half-hour later, we arrived at the center of the island. The ruins here really showcased just how advanced the civilization was, having multi-story homes, intricate fountains, and most spectacular of all, an enormous pyramid in the middle of it all. It had a set of stairs leading to the top on each side, finely chiseled into the limestone. The thing had to be at least a hundred feet tall!

"This is it," Grandfather said as he stopped at the entrance to the pyramid. He looked at the lettering above the opening, pausing only seconds to decode it. "Temple of Chaos."

"Can we climb to the top first, just think of what could be up there!" I said excitedly. The structure was so huge, I couldn't even make out what was at the top.

"Yeah, let's search the outside first, then work our way in," he said in agreement. He readjusted his backpack and I watched as his hiking boots made indents in the lush grass.

I followed close behind, keeping my eyes on the stairs, which unfortunately were crumbling, due to age. My thoughts drifted to the Ancients and how they had up and disappeared, leaving no record of how or why. I felt so lucky that I even knew about the existence of this island they left behind. The rest of the kids at my high school were probably at the beach or just hanging out, while I had the chance to uncover secrets about a mysterious ancient civilization on a classified island, how cool is that!

After what felt like forever, we reached the top. On a plateau sat seven beautifully carved pedestals arching around the center of the pyramid, the delicately curved bronze they were formed from glistening in the sun. But in the center of these stunning sculptures were bronze vines, swirling around a central point, creating a cone with an open top. The entire thing was breathtaking, but it felt as if it was missing something, the pedestals were empty. And what felt most incomplete was the floral bronze spiral in the center, it was clearly meant for holding something important, but like the pedestals, it was empty.

I glanced at my grandfather, his face was scrunched up in concentration. The slight breeze that blew past us made him snap back to reality. He shivered a little, but not due to the wind. The entire shrine had an eerie, haunted feel to it, like whatever things the stands used to hold had been forced from them.

"What does it mean?" I asked, gesturing towards the shrine. "Sure, it looks like whatever was here before was important, but why?"

"I don't know," he said, kneeling in front of the centerpiece. "The objects that must have been here before obviously held some significance. Maybe it was religious? But for all I know, it could just be decoration."

I strolled over to one of the pillars on the outskirts of the plateau. The metal was inscribed with symbols, some I recognized decoding earlier, and others that I had never seen before.

Grandpa must have noticed them too because he had moved to one of the pedestals as well. "I can't translate this, I've never seen these symbols before," he said, turning to face me. "It's almost as if this language is an earlier version of the one we've been reading, meaning that these have to be extremely old."

"Yeah," I said absentmindedly, running my hand across the top of a pedestal, it resembled the cone shape of the centerpiece.

"I recognize this, though," grandfather said, pointing to a section on the bronze. "It says something about the Chaos and Master Emeralds."

"Do you think this is where they could have been held?" I asked, eyeing the top again, it did resemble the bottom of a diamond-cut gem.

"Likely, but someone or something must have taken them from this place."

I felt confused all of a sudden. There were no outside records of this place, meaning nobody knew of it. And even if a ship happened to have stumbled upon it, the ruins were full of other treasure, just lying out in the open. Why take the gems, but leave everything else where it is?

Gerald seemed to have had a similar thought process. "It just doesn't add up, why would someone target these gems specifically?" he paused. "Well, what I assume to be gems at least."

He shook his head and put his hands on his hips. "The only way we'll get any more answers is to search inside the pyramid."

I groaned. "More walking? Are you sure this trip isn't just a trick to get me to exercise?"

Gerald chuckled softly. "Wasn't the trip over on the cruise ship enough of a vacation for you?"

This time, it was my turn to giggle. "As long as I get something good to eat after this, I'll survive, I guess."

"Well then, that settles it, into the pyramid!"

**xxx**

**Gerald Robotnik**

My footsteps echoed off the stone walls of the Temple of Chaos. If it weren't for the small beam of light our flashlight provided, I wouldn't be able to see a thing. The walls were empty except for the metal torch holders, the torches themselves having already rotted away.

Suddenly, I saw a faint red glow up ahead. What in the world? I glanced over at Ivo, his eyes wide in shock. The glow started to fade, but then became overwhelmingly bright. Almost as if the light was moving…

"Are you okay to keep going, whatever's up there could be dangerous," I asked my grandson. I didn't want him to get hurt.

"I'm fine, a little light never hurt anyone, right?" he said, grinning. "Let's check it out!"

I shook my head. His curiosity is going to be the death of me, literally. "Alright then, just...be careful."

We hurried towards the source of the red glow, the light still fading and brightening in random spurts. Eventually, we reached the end of the narrow passage and entered a huge chamber, scarlet light bouncing off the walls, which were engraved with symbols and murals.

In the center was a small bronze pedestal with a pulsing red gemstone sitting atop it. The source of the glow.

"Stay here, I'll approach it first," I said to Ivo. "Whatever is causing it to glow like that doesn't seem natural."

"Okay," he said in a small voice, fear overtaking curiosity.

I walked with caution towards the gemstone. There had to be a logical explanation for the light it was emitting, I just couldn't think of one.

Arm outstretched, I touched my hand to the cold metal of the pedestal and decoded what I could of the inscription, it being written in the same altered language as the structures above the pyramid. "The Phantom Ruby...immense power...illusion...communicate….Master Emerald...the creators of the...and Chaos, guardian of the Emerald...Caution...greed...corruption...create rift...make real."

I let my hand fall slowly to my side. What power and illusion? A communication device? To connect with the Master Emerald? What in the…

"It must be magic!" Ivo exclaimed. "The ruins outside had referred to the Master Emerald, Chaos Emeralds, and Phantom, which is most likely what this thing is, as both objects and living things, what if this 'Phantom Ruby' is like that, a gem with a life source?"

"No," I said, twirling my mustache, there must be a scientific explanation for this. "I refuse to mark this up as 'magic' until I get proof. There is, in my extensive experience, no such thing as magic. All things have order and logic, that's just the way it is. What is referred to as 'magic' is but undiscovered science."

"Well, in MY opinion, this isn't something you can explain using logic, it's the exact opposite. Devoid of logic and order, chaos energy."

"Are you really saying you believe all these shenanigans the Ancients believed about living gems, prophecies, and straight-up magic? Rubies don't have life, nor do they have energy. It's all just myths!"

Glowering, I turned back towards the ruby. How could such an intelligent person believe in such nonsense? Not thinking, I stuck my hand out and grabbed the Phantom Ruby, watching as my surroundings turned to black and feeling myself crash to the floor.

"Grandpa!" was the last thing I heard before everything I could sense faded away into nothingness.

**xxx**

**Ivo Robotnik**

Terrified, I darted towards Grandpa. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision and scattering the now unbearably bright red light. But even without my full sight, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the vivid scene in front of me. I have to save him.

I checked his pulse, it was normal, which meant he probably hadn't had a heart attack. Shaking, I called out to him again, but he was as silent as the stone walls around us.

I didn't know what was wrong. He was breathing normally, his heart was working, but he was completely unconscious. Panicking, I grabbed him under his arms and lifted him, propping him against the pedestal that the Ruby had been on.

I gently started to remove the backpack from his arms, aiming to reach the communicator in the pack and call for help. When I pulled my arm back across his chest, however, the Phantom Ruby he was clutching to his chest grazed my arm, drawing bright scarlet blood.

I winced, barely noticing, before trying to resume my search. But only seconds after, my surroundings started to blur together, before fading out into complete darkness.

**xxx**

**Gerald Robotnik**

Slowly, I reached my hand to my forehead. What just happened?

I cracked my eyes open, only to shield them with my hand. The light was unbearable! But where was it coming from?

Blinking, I tried to get my eyes to adjust, soon after realizing that I was no longer in the temple. I was somewhere much more peculiar.

All around me, empty white space stretched on into infinity. I floated in the blank abyss, trying to make sense of any of this. How am I here, and what even is 'here'?

The scene around me was utterly surreal. My mind racing, I panicked. Am I dead? Where's Ivo? How do I get out of here?

I gasped as I saw red cubes appearing out of nowhere, flying straight towards me. I ducked (as best I could, being that I was floating in empty space), and hoped I wouldn't get hit.

To my surprise, the cubes stopped a few feet to my right, hovering there and joining to one another, forming something.

Seconds later, I was staring at Ivo, who remained unmoving, other than his previously shed tears floating away from his scrunched up eyes and into the bright abyss.

I reached my hand out and grabbed his shoulder, seeing if he was even real. The cloth from his shirt balled up under my grip, he seems real…

Instantly, his eyes shot open and he turned his head towards me. His expression was a mix of terror and confusion as he grabbed my arm, pulling towards me.

"W-where am I, w-what's g-going on?" he said fearfully, voice cracking. Ivo looked around him, clearly realizing what I had only moments before. That being that we are surrounded by inescapable nothingness.

"I...I don't know," I replied. "I was here alone for a few seconds before these strange cubes started floating together to form you and…"

My voice trailed off. There was nothing else to say. I had no idea if any of this was even real.

"The Phantom Ruby," Ivo whispered, releasing his grip on my arm. "It must have sent us here. An illusion, a vision, just like the Ancients described...It's all true…"

A smile played on the corners of his lips as teardrops started floating into the air, a million emotions flashing across his eyes. Fear, relief, but most of all, wonder.

"Incredible," I said, gesturing at our surroundings, or lack thereof. "This is impossible, it's almost like…"

"Magic?"

"Magic."

**xxx**

**Ivo Robotnik**

The empty space around us started to darken, scarlet cubes faded into focus, joining together to create a pathway beneath us. My shoes touched the polished marble platform as gravity began to take hold of me again.

Gerald landed beside me, and surprisingly, I wasn't disoriented in the slightest, my grandpa didn't seem to be either.

Up ahead, the pathway was being quickly built by the cubes. The bridge, once completed, led to a large circular platform with eight chiseled marble pillars spread evenly around its edge, all connected by a series of intricate designs that created a roof above the platform.

Between all but one of these pillars were stunning golden pedestals, their design identical to those we had seen on top of the temple. Each pedestal held a different colored diamond-cut gemstone, the light-emitting from them bouncing off the ceiling and pillars of the shrine.

The empty gap in the pillars seemed to be an entrance into the structure, which housed the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Wrapped in gorgeous golden vines sat an enormous green gemstone, it's glow reaching even to the walkway. The gemstone's lustrous surface was perfectly polished, too perfect to have been cut by human hands. The godlike gem radiated not only it's light, but also a sense of power, like the entire world was being held in that single jewel. Unified chaos.

"The Master and Chaos Emeralds," I whispered in awe of their beauty. "The Phantom Ruby must want to show us something about them."

At the mention of the Ruby, Gerald looked down at his hands, which were no longer grasping the Ruby as they had before the illusion. Wordlessly, he put his hand around my shoulder and smiled. The gesture was so out of character for him, but that just made me appreciate it all the more.

"I'm ready when you are," he said, staring out across the bridge.

"Yeah," I said, following suit. And with that, we made our way towards the mysterious temple, together.

**xxx**

**Gerald Robotnik**

I walked with Ivo up to the temple. We entered, entranced by the Master Emerald. That was when I noticed something else that hadn't been there previously. Floating above the Master Emerald was the Phantom Ruby, it's pulse slow, steady, and rhythmic, unlike the frantic pulsing lights it produced in the pyramid.

Ivo and I stopped a few feet away from the two gems. I felt as if they were calling out to me, almost as if they were alive. I also had a strange feeling that we were supposed to wait here for something, but I didn't know for sure what I was waiting for.

My grandson stood staring at the two jewels, his eyes reflecting their shining auras. I sensed he had the same feelings as me.

Abruptly, the Master Emerald, Chaos Emeralds, and Phantom Ruby shone with a brilliant light, so bright that I had to shield my eyes.

As the light faded, I noticed something standing atop the Master Emerald. A creature, not quite human, but not quite animal, smiled down at us from her perch on the gem. She resembled some of the beings in the murals on the walls of the Temple of Chaos. She had peach-colored fur and was clothed in a white, cut-off tank top, green, red, and cream patterned skirt, sandals, and golden jewelry adorned with blue gemstones. A rose aura slowly swirled around her, shimmering and glowing. In her left hand, she held the Phantom Ruby, which had resumed its slow dancing pulse.

"I am Tikal of the Knuckles clan, messenger of the Master Emerald and guardian of Chaos, the life force of the Emeralds and Ruby. I welcome you to the heart of the Mystic Ruins, the Altar of the Emeralds," she said, her ethereal voice echoing through the altar. "You are the last hope for the future of our worlds."

Not knowing what else to do, I kneeled before her. She was like a goddess, power radiating from every word she spoke.

"The two halves of our universe were once one," she continued. "It was inhabited by a race that gradually split into four, humans, mobians, animals, and flickies. For eons, our species coexisted on one planet, ruled over by Chaos, a mysterious creature residing in the Master Emerald, and its energy channels, the Chaos Emeralds. They were shared by the humans and mobians, the two most intelligent of the species."

Tikal looked down at the Phantom Ruby grimly. "That was until the Great Rift. The less powerful of the two races, the humans, believed that the power of the Chaos Emeralds and Master Emerald was meant to be used to shape the world as they wanted it. Their desire for power eventually transformed into intense greed, the species going so far as threatening to seize the gems."

She looked down at us, grief straining her features. "My ancestors, the mobians, disagreed with this. They believed the purpose of the jewels' power was to protect and maintain peace between all living creatures. They thought that the power was not meant to be used selfishly, and eventually, what was a disagreement, became an all-out war," she took a deep breath, the pink mist around her glowing brighter.

"Chaos, sensing this tension, used some of its power to create the Phantom Ruby. It was similar in many ways to the purpose of the Chaos Emeralds, only instead of connecting to the power of the Master Emerald, it connected to its knowledge. The Ruby created illusions, which allowed the user to communicate with the Emerald. The mobians tried to use it to come to an agreement with the humans without violence, hoping that it would enable them to see that Chaos intended to keep peace between its creations. However, when the humans attempted to use the Phantom Ruby, they became corrupted. Not having a connection to Chaos Powers, as mobians are, the power overwhelmed them and intensified their emotions, which were overcome with greed and hate, and drove them insane. Chaos, not wanting to destroy its creations, decided the only way to maintain peace was to separate us."

Still awestruck, I watched as the Phantom Ruby sparked, glowing brighter in Tikal's grasp. She looked down at it, a panicked look sweeping her face. "I don't have much time left...This was the Split. The mobians and flickies remained on Earth, soon realizing that the other two races were gone for good. The humans and animals were sent to a duplicate planet, in a new, unreachable portion of the universe. Because the planets were very similar, both still had the Phantom Ruby. But, due to the intense physical power of the Emeralds, Chaos decided to create a planet without them for the humans and animals. Chaos also created the Chao, peaceful beings that roamed both new planets, to remind us of his intentions for us. However, the Phantom Ruby on 'Banished Earth' was still able to connect with the Master Emerald, in hopes that one day, the species would set aside their differences and be able to coexist once again."

The gem in Tikal's hand looked as if it was on the verge of exploding, bits of energy flying out from its core. "Over time, the humans forgot the events of the Split, in part due to the corruption from the Phantom Ruby, but my ancestors did not. We treasure this experience from our civilization's past, passing it down through the generations."

Tikal continued, talking more quickly than she had before. "In a little over fifty years, there will be an extremely powerful race that will attack Banished Earth. Modern technology will do practically nothing against it, which means, for your species to survive, you must call upon us to aid in your fight. Due to your connections and pure intentions, Gerald Robotnik, I request that, for the sake of mankind, you find a way to reunite our worlds."

I was completely stunned. Me? Save the world? I had no other option, "Yes, I accept."

The Ruby produced a blinding light as Tikal's voice echoed through my mind. "The Phantom gives access to the servers. The servers are the 7 Chaos. Chaos is power...Power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the chaos."

Then, everything faded away again.

**xxx**

**Ivo Robotnik**

I opened my eyes, Grandfather and I were back in the Temple of Chaos. He sat beside me rubbing his head. What just happened?

"Did you...was it...is it real?" he stammered, brain fried. I nodded slowly. For some reason, I found this information to be really easy to accept. It just made sense, somehow.

He stared down at the Phantom Ruby, which had reappeared in his hand. "So, a god residing in a mystical Emerald sent a message to me explaining that I have to unite two worlds using a gem I know nothing about?"

"As crazy as that sounds saying it out loud, I think so," I said. "We need to tell G.U.N., they'll know how to help. Maybe Tikal was on to something when she said you had connections."

Worry flashed across his eyes. "No. Unless this Ruby decides to pull out another illusion, which I highly doubt, G.U.N. will think I'm insane."

"You're right. It'll be impossible to save the world if you're locked up in an insane asylum."

Gerald chuckled. "How are you being so calm about this? Both of us should be completely dumb-struck, yet here we are, talking about it as easily as if we were discussing the weather."

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't doubt it has something to do with that gem," I said, pointing at the Ruby. "But, hey, I'm not saying I'm not grateful or anything. I wouldn't want to be driven insane yet, our vacation just started."

"Yeah," he said absentmindedly. My grandfather was focused on one of the murals on the wall. It depicted a creature similar to Tikal battling a giant monster that looked to be made of some kind of liquid.

"The creatures in this carving," he said, still facing it. "One of them looks mobian, and I don't know for sure what the other thing is."

"Many of the inscriptions I decoded earlier described the Phantom Ruby allowing the user to see the future. Do you think this could be something they saw? Maybe even a depiction of the invaders that will arrive in fifty years?"

"I could only speculate, my boy," he said, getting to his feet. "We should probably head back now, who knows how long we've been gone."

"Good idea," I said, following him into the hallways. "You are going to keep the Phantom Ruby with us though, right?"

"Of course," he said, pulling it from his pack. "I'll have to study it and see what I can do with its power. Maybe there's some way we could use it to travel to the other Earth."

On that note, we headed back outside, where the G.U.N. Jeep was waiting for us. My grandpa and I were going to find a way to save our world, even if we had to do it alone.

* * *

**Epilogue:**

_For the rest of the trip, Gerald and Ivo searched for anything else that may clue them in on how to bring the two worlds together. They found nothing. Gerald and Ivo left June 27th on a cruise ship, which brought them to a G.U.N. base off the coast of California._

_From there, the pair boarded the Solar Angel, the transport spacecraft to the ARK. This would be the first time Ivo would be allowed to visit the ARK, due to much pleading on behalf of Gerald. The trip took three days, after which they arrived safely._

_During these events, both of the scientists pondered the illusion they were shown by the Ruby, both together, and in private. Finding a solution would be more difficult and time-consuming than either of them could have ever thought. Little did they know, the invaders they were protecting against would arrive soon and inadvertently give Gerald the key to creating his defense against the end of Banished Earth._


	2. Prophecy of the Ancients

**Sonic Unity Issue 1 - The Robotnik Saga (Part 1): Prophecy of the Ancients**

_Gerald and Ivo Robotnik recently visited the Isle of the Ancients, discovering both the an illusion-creating gemstone called the Phantom Ruby and an ancient prophecy. The prophecy spoke of two split worlds; two worlds that must be reunited in order to save the planet from an evil force that would arrive in just over fifty years. Gerald was determined to put a stop to the future invaders, one way or another. And to no surprise, Ivo, his grandson, was set on helping him._

* * *

_Date: July 1, 1949  
__Time: 12:09  
__Planet: Just outside Earth's atmosphere  
__Place: Space Colony ARK Landing Deck_

Ivo and Gerald stepped out of their spacecraft, the Solar Angel, and onto one of the many landing pads of the ARK. The cavernous ship deck was home to all kinds of spacecraft, from small, one-person shuttles to enormous ships that could house over a hundred men. The entire space was airtight, so neither of them had to worry about spacesuits. Engineers and scientists alike rushed around the area, either taking notes or doing repairs.

"Wow," Ivo gasped, awestruck. "And to think we have all this amazing technology, but we haven't even reached the moon yet…"

His grandfather laughed, interrupting his thoughts. "The moon landing? We already got there in 1937, a year after this station was built! The government wants to keep it hush-hush, though. They're afraid that having such advanced tech would intimidate other countries. Don't want to start WWIII, right?"

Ivo laughed. "So this is why the G.U.N. didn't want me up here?"

"Hardly. You've barely scratched the surface of the crazy technology we've got. I'll take you to my lab here in a little bit, and you can check out what I've been working on. Trust me, it's a ton more interesting than some silly old moon landing."

He grinned, his whole face lighting up. "This is so...I don't even have words for how incredible this place is!"

"Yep, I'm glad you were finally allowed to visit. Of course, I wish it were under different circumstances. Feeling constantly on edge about the...thing...probably doesn't add to your experience," Professor Robotnik said, starting towards the main entrance to the station. Ivo followed close behind.

"Well, I think if there's any place we could find a solution, it's here," he said. "And with that Ruby, there's gotta be a way."

Gerald gripped the strap of his pack more tightly. Keeping a secret with so many prying eyes would be really difficult, if not impossible. Still, there wasn't much of an option.

"Mhmm," he agreed, swiping the key card to his lab. "Well, take a look at your workspace for the next few weeks."

He held an arm out and gestured towards his laboratory. The room itself was shaped like an octagon, machines and work tables scattered throughout. Looking it over, the doctor realized how messy it was. _That's odd, I guess I forgot to clean it before I left…_

He rushed to the center of the room where a large, rectangular glass tank stood, fearing the worst. _Project Shadow...the Biolizard...if it escaped, it could destroy the entire station._ The glass was shattered, wires were disconnected, and the reptile was nowhere to be found. "Damn."

"What's wrong?" Ivo questioned nervously, his eyes darting towards the tank. He sprinted to his grandfather's side, a look of panic spreading across his face.

"This tank held one of the most important and potentially dangerous discoveries in the history of mankind," Gerald told him. "And it's the main reason G.U.N. didn't want you up here."

Ivo stood like a statue, completely terrorized.

"Project Shadow, nicknamed the Biolizard, was an attempt at creating a serum for immortality. It isn't a true lizard, however, due to the fact that we used modified DNA from a Savannah Monitor to create it. After its creation, the Biolizard showed strange side effects from the modifications. It started to grow extremely quickly, and the growth wasn't going to stop anytime soon," the professor explained, recalling the events all too clearly.

"That was about the time I had to leave for the trip to the Isle of the Ancients, so I had to leave him to the other scientists during my absence. It looks as if they had as much trouble controlling him as I did."

He motioned for Ivo to follow him and hurried towards the main deck, where Commander Jenkins would probably be. As head of operations, he most likely knew what happened.

The brightly lit hallways blurred together in Gerald's vision as they made their way to Jenkins' office on the main deck. He just couldn't get the thought of the Biolizard puncturing a hole in the ARK out of his head. _Stay calm, if there were any reason to worry, the Commander would have told me already._

Gritting his teeth, Gerald knocked on the door to the Commander's office. "Come in," a monotonous voice called out. The two of them entered.

"Gerald. I see you have returned from your trip, along with your grandson. Ivo, wasn't it?" a man in his mid-sixties wearing a dark suit said, extending a handshake to the both of them.

He sat back down at his desk and put his hands together. "I assume you aren't here just for introductions, however."

"Yes. When I got to my lab, I noticed Project Shadow was missing, and its containment facility was in ruins."

Jenkins nodded and turned towards Gerald's grandson. "Ivo, could you step out for a minute?'

Listening to the boss' orders, Ivo left the office. Gerald could feel his palms begin to sweat.

"It had to be relocated," the Commander continued. For a split second, Gerald could have sworn he heard a hint of nervousness in his boss' otherwise composed speech.

"Why? And where did you put it? According to the growth trends it was showing, the tank size should have been sufficient."

"Oh, the tank size wasn't an issue," Jenkins explained. "The subject became, how to put this, unstable."

The fear in his voice was apparent now. "For the time being, we are keeping it in the reinforced testing lab for safety. Nobody outside of the project knows anything about it."

Anger boiled up inside of the doctor's chest, but he forced it down. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't want to distract you from your work on the island. Your studies there were almost as important as the work you've been doing here on the ARK."

"Alright," he said curtly. "Who is keeping watch over it?"

"I have two geneticists and some guards watching it for now. They have the equipment needed to control it. Under your permission, the team asked if they could remove its life support systems."

"No!" Gerald shouted, surprising himself by his own outburst. "We've worked so hard on this experiment, we are not giving up now."

"That's what I thought you would say. In that case, by my order, you are prohibited to continue any experiments or tests dealing with the Biolizard."

Robotnik slammed his fist onto the desk, making the Commander's eyes widen. "But that experiment is the key to immortality; abandoning it would be a complete waste!"

"That monster is a threat to our whole operation, and understand me when I say that if it breached the station we could all die. And your tests would cause our chances of that happening to skyrocket. You'll just have to continue Project Shadow without it."

Turning on his heel, Gerald stormed out of the office, but not before having the last word. "You are making a huge mistake. Replicating his creation would take a miracle."

**xxx**

**_Two months later..._**

Dr. Robotnik sighed as he collapsed onto his desk and stared hopelessly up at the android he was trying to build. Based off the designs on the walls of the Temple of Chaos, this robot resembled the Mobian depicted fighting the water monster. It was mostly black with red stripes and, in his opinion, sort of resembled a hedgehog. This was the doctor's nineteenth robot in the past week.

The robots he was creating were supposed to be part of the Project Shadow experiment. The doctor was afraid that another of his creations would go rogue, so instead, he started using robots. The problem with using them was that Gerald wasn't getting any closer in his quest for immortality due to the fact that they weren't living; they had no soul.

Frustrated, he swiveled his office chair around to face the monitors. _I really wish there was a way to implant the freewill code I gave Emerl a while back. It's just that the programming file is so complex that nothing I could ever create would be able to handle it the way he did. I wonder if he was built by the Mobians…_

Ivo tapped his shoulder, snapping him back to reality. "Hey, Grandpa, how is the project going with the Phantom Ruby? Are you close to connecting with the Chaos Emeralds?"

"Oh, yes," the inventor said, grinning. "About that, I have something to show you."

He started towards a sliding door in the back of the lab. Sliding in his key card, Gerald and his grandson entered his private lab. The fluorescent lights flickered on and revealed a tall, open, oval structure with a single hole at the top. The indent was there to hold the power source, the Phantom Ruby.

"This is the Phantom-Link Gate," the doctor said, gesturing towards it. "According to my calculations, it should be working, but the Ruby doesn't do anything when placed into it."

Ivo reached out and touched the Gate's smooth, metallic surface. "How in the world...Could this really reach Other Earth?"

"I think so, yes. I just don't understand why it isn't working."

Dr. Robotnik strolled over to a nearby workbench. Upon it, the Phantom Ruby pulsated its magenta and black wave pattern. _The Phantom gives access to the servers…_

Picking it up, he placed it into the slot on the portal. The pulsing stopped; the gemstone was now completely black. The same thing had happened last time. Gerald could almost feel it calling out to the Chaos Emeralds, asking for their power.

"Then, it just stays like that, dark and still. I feel as if it is trying to contact the Emeralds but can't."

"I think I feel it too," Ivo said, crossing his arms on his chest. "Almost like it's radiating a cold loneliness, calling out to something it can't reach."

Gerald nodded and reached his arm up so that he could pull the Ruby back out again. Setting the gemstone carefully on the table, the doctor turned back to his grandson.

"Well, I don't think it has to do with my programming or machine. My best guess would be that something is either wrong with the Phantom Ruby or blocking its connection because from what Tikal said, it should be able to contact the Emeralds."

Glancing at the Ruby one last time, he exited the private lab and entered into the regular one with Ivo close behind. Checking his watch, Gerald realized it was time for Ivo to catch his flight back to Earth.

"It's just about time for you to get to the launch deck and head back home," he said, grabbing Ivo's red backpack from off a worktable. "Don't want to have to wait another two months or so to get back, do you?"

Ivo grinned sheepishly. "I wouldn't mind it that much."

"Sure. And I'm positive your parents would l_ove_ that."

"But the Phantom Ruby project is so important, I can't just abandon it!" he said, throwing his arms up in mock exasperation. "And you're so close to finding a way to contact the Mobians."

"Trust me, when I get that portal working, I'll get you up here to see it," his grandpa told him, ruffling the boy's auburn hair, which he quickly went to work trying to fix. "I'll miss you, my boy."

"I'll miss you too, Grandpa."

**xxx**

**_A few days later..._**

Gerald took a sip of his coffee as he gazed into the depths of the mysterious Phantom Ruby. "Why did you choose me, Tikal? If I can't even get this thing to work with my machines, how do you expect me to travel across the universe with its power?"

He swiveled his chair to face the large, curved window of the lab. The Earth below was so beautiful from this height.

The door to his lab made a swishing noise, letting someone in, "Who's in my lab this late at night? Henry, if that's you sleepwalking again…"

A soft voice chuckled behind him. "Guess who it is!"

"Maria!" Gerald exclaimed. "You're out of the infirmary?"

"Yep. And just to let you know, it's almost eight in the morning."

The doctor laughed as he turned his chair to face her. Maria, his thirteen-year-old granddaughter, was wearing a light blue dress and matching headband. Her long, blonde hair fell in slight waves over her shoulders, complimenting her deep blue eyes that sparkled in the lab's bright lights.

He pushed himself up out of his chair and pulled her into a hug. "I was wondering when they were finally going to let you out of that stuffy old hospital."

"Me too. It's too bad I wasn't able to meet Ivo a few days ago; he sounded like such a nice guy."

"I think you and your cousin would have gotten along really well, but it wasn't worth risking your safety. Even the slightest trace of harmful bacteria could have made your NIDS a lot worse."

Maria shrugged. "That's okay. At least I can finally see you and Abe again!"

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling. "Maria, I want to show you something."

Dr. Robotnik picked up a black and magenta gemstone from off of his desk and handed it to her. Her eyes widened as she stood entranced by its rhythmic pulses.

"This is the Phantom Ruby. It is a gemstone I found on the Isle of the Ancients."

"It's beautiful," she said, holding it up to the light. "How is it pulsing like that? Did you hook up a machine to it or something?"

"You might not believe me, but the Ruby has some incredible abilities. It can create illusions, act as a communicator, and so much more."

She glanced at Gerald in surprise. "Really? I never thought you were someone who would believe in superstitions."

"Well, what if I told you I have actually experienced some of the gem's effects myself? Back on the island, Ivo and I both experienced its power."

Maria leaned against a workbench. "I want to believe you, but that all sounds kind of far-fetched to me. But assuming this jewel does have special abilities, how does it work?"

"Well, it's powers activate w…"

The inventor was stopped mid-sentence as a thundering boom shook the ARK. He gripped the side of his desk and managed to stay upright. He glanced out the window and saw what looked to be a huge, black meteor suspended in space. But just as briefly as he had seen it, the meteor vanished.

Gerald was about to race over to the window to see what happened, but then he noticed Maria passed out on the floor, gripping a blindingly bright Phantom Ruby.

* * *

**Sonic Unity Issue 1 - Bonus Story: Lonely Nights**

_For her whole life, Maria had lived on the ARK. Though in her mind, she hadn't really lived at all. Her parents were gone forever, and she had no means of exploring the beautiful planet her home floated above. Maria spent most of her time with her grandfather and 'brother,' Abraham, but desperately longed for something more. Someone that took away the pain of being so alone. A friend._

* * *

_Date: September 12th, 1949  
__Time: 22:03  
__Planet: Just outside Earth's atmosphere  
__Place: Maria's Quarters on Space Colony ARK_

Maria Robotnik stared at the metal ceiling above her bed, a constant fear of her recurring nightmares keeping her vigilant and alert. Every night, she dreaded the gentle lull of sleep pulling her into its grasp, reminding her of her father's death.

"These nightmares are always the same," she whispered, her voice little more than a soft humming. Maria pictured the last look on her father's face before he was stolen from her. Her eyelids drooped, her body giving in to the soothing call of slumber. Then, it began.

The dream was exactly as it had always been. It was early in the morning; the fifth anniversary of her mother's passing. Her fifth birthday.

Maria's dad sat at the table in their apartment on the ARK, taking slow sips of his coffee. His bloodshot eyes and dark crescents beneath them revealed a night of no sleep. He always looked like this on her birthday.

"Hey, kiddo!" he exclaimed, pulling her into his arms and lifting her up. Maria's younger self giggled, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"Morning, Daddy!" she exclaimed as her father set her back on the ground. "Guess what day it is!"

He tapped a finger on his chin, pretending to think for a moment. "Oh! That's right, it's your birthday!"

The young girl nodded, grinning. "And that means we get to play all day, just us!"

"But not before breakfast, and it's your favorite, cinnamon rolls!"

The cute blonde squealed as she followed her dad to the oven. Even though she had smelt them all the way from her room, it didn't stifle her excitement.

Then, as her father pulled the treats out of the oven, the scene changed. She was older now, maybe ten, and her grandfather was sitting in a chair in front of her.

"Maria," he said softly, setting a hand on top of hers. "If you aren't ready to know, I don't have to tell you."

"I need to know. I've been hiding from the truth about my mom for too long."

The older man nodded, closing his eyes and taking a breath. "Hope was incredible. She was a woman of science, absolutely brilliant. She was beautiful too; you have her eyes. But most importantly, she was kind. She loved you and your father so much."

Maria's younger self blushed a little.

"You already know how she...passed. But, she told me that on your tenth birthday, I should give you this," he held out a dusty package with a sky blue bow.

Maria gently took the small, rectangular gift, cradling it in her hands as if any sudden movement would destroy it. She untied the bow, causing the paper to release from the present. In her hands she held a yellowing journal with the name Hope written in fancy script across the cover.

"...Her journal," Gerald said, gasping. "I...I didn't know she had kept it. I thought she left it back on Earth when she visited me for the grand opening of the ARK..."

Slowly, Maria lifted the book's cover page and read the dedication. "_To my husband, Nick, and my soon-to-be daughter, Maria."_

Feeling herself tear up, Maria closed the diary and hugged it closer to her chest. "Thank you, Mom."

The scene shifted again, this time only jumping forward a half hour. Maria was with her dad, who was holding the journal in front of him.

"We should read this together," he said, his deep voice higher than normal. "That's what she would have wanted."

Time seemed to speed up as pages of the journal flashed across Maria's vision as her father read through them. Then, they reached the end.

"_And I know there is no way for both of us to survive, Maria. I don't want to abandon you, but I need to give you a chance at life. Gerald warned me of the high possibility of things going terribly wrong giving birth to you here, but I won't have time to make it back to Earth. My survival is not even debatable anymore. Either I live, and you cease to exist, or I give you a chance at a life I never had. I wish there were some way I could be with you, but there isn't. Don't ever forget how much I love you, and will always love you. -Hope"_

A tear rolled down my father's cheek and dripped onto Mother's signature. "I'll never forget you," he whispered as Maria leaned against his shoulder. "I love you Hope."

Then, the scene jumped a few days ahead_._ Maria stood in the doorway of her father's lab. Ever since he read the journal, he had been working nonstop on a machine.

"This is how I'll find her again, Maria," he said, pointing to his contraption. "Then, we can all be a family, the way we were supposed to be."

"It's too dangerous!" Gerald shouted, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him away from a doorway to a closed chamber in the machine.

"I will see her again, one way or another!" Maria's father yelled, his voice almost maniacal. He was able to free himself from his own father's grip and pulled a lever.

The room became blurry as Maria's younger self started to cry. He had gone too far.

Nick ran towards the machine's chamber as a countdown from ten emanated from the machine.

_TEN, NINE, EIGHT..._

Maria ran after him.

_SEVEN, SIX, FIVE…_

He shut himself in the machine.

_FOUR…_

Maria pounded on the glass and screamed for him to stop.

_THREE..._

Nick's lips curled up in an insane grin. He had cracked.

_TWO_

Maria's punch made a crack in the glass.

_ONE_

"I love you Maria."

ZERO

And then he was gone. Forever.

**xxx**

Maria's eyes shot open. Her breaths were short and shallow, and she felt that her cheeks were wet. More tears threatened to fall as she sat up and hugged her knees.

"Dad...Why did you leave me?"

Another wave of grief washed over her as she layed back down in her bed. Maria bit her lip to keep herself from crying out in agony. She didn't know whether she was sad or angry; maybe she was both.

"_All I want,"_ Maria thought to herself. "_Is someone the world won't steal away from me. A true friend."_


	3. Dawning of Doom

**Sonic Unity Issue 2: The Robotnik Saga (Part 2): Dawning of Doom**

_Gerald meets an unexpected and highly dangerous new stranger. Could it be connected to the meteor or the prophecy? Was it after the Ruby? More new questions are left unanswered as the doctor delves deeper into the mystery of the Phantom Ruby._

* * *

_Date: September 13, 1949  
__Time: 08:01  
__Planet: Just outside Earth's atmosphere  
__Place: Gerald's Lab on Space Colony ARK  
__(Directly after the ending of the main story in Issue 1)_

Gerald Robotnik dropped to his knees. Thankfully, Maria was breathing and uninjured. Her eyes were shut and she was still, almost as if she was sleeping. The Phantom Ruby continued to glow, and the doctor thought he could hear something emanating from it, like a series of low pulses.

Robotnik hesitated for a second. Should he risk moving her?

He shook his head slightly and grabbed her under her back and knees, lifting her with him as he stood up. He couldn't just leave her on the floor.

Carrying her into his private lab, he set her down on a well-worn couch in the corner. As much as he wanted to stay, Gerald knew she would be okay without him. He didn't know how or why, but he just knew.

His fingertips glided across the smooth surface of the Ruby. He didn't doubt that Maria was being given a vision; he suspected it had something to do with the prophecy.

The doctor positioned a pillow under her head and pulled a blanket over her shoulders, concealing the gemstone. "If anyone sees the Phantom Ruby light up like this, I'll have a lot to answer for."

Giving her one last glance, Gerald returned to his regular lab. He looked through the curved, glass window where he thought he had seen the meteor. He saw nothing but empty space, far-off stars, and the green and blue planet below. Had the meteor just been another illusion from the Ruby?

No. It couldn't have been. Why would the gemstone show him something as seemingly important as that without so much as an explanation?

He reached his hand to his forehead. Something about this whole situation left a cold, empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't shake the feeling, nor the thoughts that raced through his mind at a million miles an hour. It just didn't make sense.

Gerald heard a strange, loud noise from behind, like a violent rush of wind. At that same moment, a red light reflected off the glass in front of him.

Turning around, a breath caught in his throat. His heart pounded as he stood, gaze transfixed on the demon-esque creature that had appeared near his desk. It glared back at him with three blood-red eyes; eyes that were full of hate and vengeance.

The being hovered nearly four feet off the ground; its spiked head almost grazing the ceiling. It was almost completely black and had two pointed horns with red tips. It had sharp, three-fingered claws that crackled with a scarlet energy. A black robe with gold accents draped loosely over its shoulders, two dark red pieces in the back reaching the tile below. Silver and gold chains, necklaces, and talismans hung from its attire.

Gerald tried to back away as the creature came closer, but he was already almost touching the glass of the window. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a small whimper. He couldn't think; he couldn't run. There was only fear.

"_I am Black Doom, ruler of the Black Arms. I wield immense power and will not hesitate to use it. Do exactly as I tell you, and your probable death will be quick and painless."_

Black Doom's deep, menacing voice echoed through Gerald's mind. He forced himself to look into Doom's middle eye and nod towards the telepathic being.

Doom's claws dropped to his sides as he let the red energy that had glowed around them disappear. He backed away a little and continued to look down at Gerald.

"_What is this place?" _

"S-space colony ARK...It's a secret government base," he stammered, his mind finally working again. A million questions and fears occupied his thoughts. _What is this creature? Why was it invading his lab? Did it have something to do with the meteor he saw or the prophecy from the Phantom Ruby?_

"_And what is its purpose?"_

"Um...it is a t-testing facility for new technology and, uh, space-related advancements," Gerald replied, the whole scene still feeling surreal and yet utterly terrifying at the same time.

Black Doom turned, scanning the room. The doctor watched him as his gaze rested on a sliding door in the back of the lab with a sign that read '_Private Testing Facility 217.'_ The entryway to Gerald's private lab. The room that held the Ruby and more importantly, Maria.

"Stop!"

"_You will NOT tell me what to do, mortal,"_ Doom snarled maliciously, not even bothering to look at him. "_Lest you wish to die sooner."_

The doctor hardly had time to be shocked by his own outburst before the lab door exploded in a burst of scarlet. He ducked and covered his face with his arms, shielding himself from the bits of metal that scattered across the lab.

Gerald let his arms down; the small pieces of steel had left cuts in his flesh and tears in his coat. It stung, but he remained silent. _There has to be some way to escape...to let someone else know._

He reached into his pocket, fumbling for his communication device. He felt the small, glass device and grabbed it with shaking hands. He pressed the power button, forgetting for a moment the quiet beeping sound it made when turning on. He immediately regretted this.

**xxx**

Black Doom whipped around, anger coursing through his veins. _How dare this pathetic human call for aid. Weakling._

He summoned the Chaos energy around him and felt the familiar surge of power rush to his claws. He shot the bright red energy at the human's device.

Doom watched in demonic satisfaction as the human dropped his machine in a yelp of pain. The sizzling, smoking device clattered to the ground as the man grabbed his wrist. Doom could see the scorch marks and raw, salmon skin his attack had left.

"_Your purpose to me is to provide information," _he said to the man through a mind-link. "_I have other, possibly easier, means of gaining this knowledge. You will meet an undesirable fate if I choose to use these other sources. I will not allow another act of disobedience."_

He resumed his task, knowing the man would not challenge him again.

Black Doom refocused his thoughts to his search. The Chaos energy pattern coming from the other side of the doorway was unlike anything he had felt for eons. It had to be a Chaos Emerald.

He entered the private lab, quite aware of the sound of the man's footsteps behind him. The room was surprisingly small, possibly less than a fourth of the size of the first one. It held worktables, a desk, various metal scraps and electronic monitors, and a soft-looking piece of what he assumed to be furniture with another human sleeping on it.

He could feel the pulse of Chaos energy emanating from the human asleep on the furniture. It was a young female, and she was covered in a blue blanket.

Doom moved closer to the source of the energy. He could tell now that he was closer that she was holding something under the blanket, something sharp. He also noticed dim, red light that came from under the cover.

"Please, don't hurt her," a small voice called from behind him. The insolent human had decided to fill the silence. Again.

Keeping his back towards the nuisance, with whom he was getting to be very much annoyed, he begrudgingly answered.

"_I do not intend to cause her harm for the time being. Keep silent and my will may stay that way."_

He wasn't lying. He wasn't planning to hurt the girl for now, however, he knew she must die before his departure. He couldn't risk his existence being discovered.

Doom lifted the covers, expecting to find the Emerald he had been searching for for so long. However, the gem he seeked was nowhere to be found. Instead, he found another gemstone; one unlike any he had ever seen before.

Black Doom was utterly confused. How had he never known about a gemstone that gave off so much Chaos energy? What was it, and how did this human obtain it?

He waited there, entranced by the jewel. It radiated so much power...could it be powerful enough to use instead of the Emeralds?

A twisted sort of joy rose inside of him. His plan may finally be able to begin. Hardly realizing what he was doing, he reached out to touch the shining, pointed surface of the crystal.

A tremor rose through his spine as he felt its energy. It was so different, yet so much like the energy he felt when using the Chaos Emeralds. He wanted to control it, to wield it like the weapon he knew it could be. _The power..._

Suddenly, he felt completely drained, something he had never experienced before. The exhaustion took control of him; the blinding light of the mysterious gemstone engraving itself in his retinas before he completely blacked out.

**xxx**

Gerald's heart was pounding in his chest. The creature that had almost killed him was completely immobilized, its claw grasping the shining surface of the Phantom Ruby. He wanted to call for help, to scream, to do anything, but he knew it would only result in his death. Once Black Doom woke up, he would be full of rage, and his own interference would do nothing to save him from being killed.

He racked his brain, trying to think of anything he could do to stop the invader. Whether or not Doom was the evil force spoken of in the prophecy, he was dangerous, and from what Robotnik could tell, merciless. Whatever the demonic being's intentions were, he knew he must try to uncover them.

He looked at the Ruby and his granddaughter. His mind debated whether he wanted her to awaken or stay blissfully unaware. What would happen if he forced Maria to let go of it? He felt the urgent need to get her to safety rise through him. Another risk. But he knew he had to try.

As gently as he could, he released her hands from the gemstone. She remained unconscious, which normally would have worried him, but due to the circumstances, he was relieved.

He knew exactly where to hide her. Somewhere no one could and hopefully would ever know about. Room 217.5. His real private lab.

Gerald had built the room himself. One needed more than just a key card to access it or even learn of it. It was only he who knew its location.

Lifting the light girl, he headed towards his computer. Which, Gerald suddenly remembered, like the moon landing, was not yet released to the public. Staring directly at the small lense on the monitor, he spoke two quiet, yet powerful words. "For Maria."

The room around him and his granddaughter was immediately replaced with a long hallway. Aligning its walls were hundreds of failed experiments, projects he knew should have been destroyed, but couldn't bring himself to do so. Most of them were of his most recent robotic project. Project Shadow. All of the androids looked identical, all of them completely lifeless, yet still sending chills up his spine.

He hurried down the corridor, the burning scent of chemicals and rust growing stronger the further he traveled through the dim passage.

**xxx**

Two bright blue eyes fluttered open. Maria let out a small groan as she lifted a hand to her forehead. _What just happened?_

She scanned the bright, dusty room she was in. It was fairly small and had a desk, a computer, whose chair she was currently occupying, machinery, some worktables, and what looked to be projects in various stages of development. Hunched over one of the tables was her grandfather.

The sight of him caused her to remember the vision she had been given, the memories hitting her with the force of a jackhammer. The memories flashed through her mind in less than a second. _The prophecy. The invaders that would destroy the planet in fifty years. The otherworldly hero that was destined to protect it. Her grandfather's role in contacting the hero._

"G-grandpa," she stuttered, still regaining her bearings. She looked down at her hands, expecting to see a shining red gemstone, but the Phantom Ruby nowhere to be found.

The older man turned around, looking a bit panicked. He rushed over to Maria, who put on her best attempt at a smile. The doctor relaxed a little, placing a hand on her shoulder as he bent down to be level with her chair.

"Maria! What did you… How much did you… Did it…"

The girl placed her hand on his, abruptly stopping his jumbled speech. It worried her, her grandpa was almost never at a loss for words, even though she completely understood why he was now.

Looking up at him, she let out a sigh. "I know everything."

* * *

**Bonus Story: The Truth Behind the ARK**

_Too many times had Commander Jenkins questioned why he had even allowed G.U.N. to finance the ARK. Without any progress on the immortality experiment, Project Shadow, he reflects back on the beginnings of the project, the ARK, and what he had hoped to achieve in the first place._

* * *

_Date: July 1, 1949  
__Time: 12:36  
__Planet: Just outside Earth's atmosphere  
__Place: Commander Jenkins' Office on the ARK  
__(This was just after Gerald and Commander Jenkins argued in Issue 1.)_

"What an ass."

Commander Jenkins propped his chin up on his hand and looked out the door to his office, which that idiot doctor hadn't even had the courtesy to close. He scowled. _How many more times will I have to put up with that man? Even as my subordinate, Robotnik still walks around like he owns the place!_

For years, Commander Mark Jenkins had been the head of G.U.N. He was a military leader, a merciless general with an iron fist. Yet somehow, he had still gotten roped into financing the ARK. And having to deal with all its issues.

The space station was built with a single purpose in mind, to study and experiment without the prying eyes of the public. The main project that was to be housed in the ARK was Project Shadow, a plan to create the Ultimate Lifeform, a nearly invincible artificial being. A living weapon. This creature would then be researched and experimented on to gain an understanding of immortality and how it could be implemented into use in warfare. G.U.N. could finally insure that their soldiers couldn't be defeated. And if an army couldn't die, then how could they lose?

The Commander remembered the countless meetings he had to attend to set up the project. How would it be financed? Who would run it? Who would be needed to do the research and experiments?

As insane as the idea may have sounded, Jenkins was willing to risk his time and energy on the possibility of enhancing his military. And if he supported Project Shadow, then the rest of the governmental militia G.U.N. would likely follow suit. And they did.

The deal was set. The Guardian Unit of Nations (G.U.N.) would pay for a government-classified space station to be built and in return, they would have command over it and Project Shadow. After that, the only other thing that needed planned out was the scientists needed to actually make progress in the project.

_And of course, the only guy smart enough to head the research had to be Robotnik._ He groaned. Had he known how short-tempered and obsessive the man was, maybe he would have tried to make someone else run the experiments. Then again, Gerald was a genius. And probably a little insane. Who else could have or even would have tried to tackle something like that?

He had been quick to join, and he had connections with other scientists, which proved to be useful for convincing them to join. His mind wandered to the first time they had met.

**xxx**

**_16 years ago..._**

"Commander, all vehicles have arrived at target location."

Jenkins looked down at his watch. Five minutes early. He opened the door of the car and stepped into the cold, wintry air outside. Small flakes of snow floated in the slight breeze and landed on the already-coated ground.

The sound of military boots crunching through snow was the only noise he heard as he joined the rest of the G.U.N. that had come with him. The breath of the soldiers and their higher-ups turned to gray mist in the frosty air.

Up ahead, Mark spotted an enormous white building, the Station Square Institute of Biology and Robot Technologies. The place where he was to meet with Dr. Robotnik.

"Do you require men to accompany us during the meeting?" asked General Blaine, one of the co-heads of G.U.N. "General Luther said he didn't have a preference, and neither do I."

"Yes, although I doubt it will be necessary," Jenkins decided. Even back then, he had always felt as if he were the true leader of G.U.N., even though the title was technically split between the three Commanders: Blaine, Luther, and himself.

The other nodded as the group came to a stop in front of the laboratory. The two generals were cleared a path to the front of the cluster, where they were quickly joined by Commander Luther.

Upon entering, Commander Jenkins was greeted by some men in white lab coats with S.S.I.B.R.T. printed in the top left corner. They escorted the three generals and their guards through the twisting, maze-like hallways of the laboratory and into a lavish room with a long, oak table and velvet chairs. Nobody spoke, and from what Mark Jenkins could tell, it was most likely out of fear. _It isn't every day you get the most powerful military in the world knocking on your doorstep, is it?_

Taking a seat, the commanders and other G.U.N. officials were left alone by the scientists. He waited silently, as did the others.

A few minutes passed before a tall, round man in a lab coat strolled through the back entrance. The man, most likely in his fifties, had brown hair, streaked with white from age and stress, and a prominent, bushy mustache. He grinned and shook hands with each of the officials, introducing himself as Dr. Gerald Robotnik. Jenkins immediately felt over-prepared.

"I will attempt to make this meeting brief, which should not be an issue," the doctor began, sitting at the head of the table to join the others. "As you all know, I have considered your proposition about participating in the creation of an artificial immortal being. I aim to discuss the project, which is why I have invited you all here today,"

"Of course, sir, we are happy to review the plan," said General Luther. "Commander Jenkins, would you please detail your intentions for Project Shadow?"

Having come up with the basis for the project, G.U.N. had decided that it would be best for him to explain. Jenkins had been more than willing to do so.

"Certainly," the general replied nodding. "The goal is to create what I like to call the 'Ultimate Lifeform,' an un-aging creature that could be researched to help improve treatment for wounded soldiers and even more astoundingly, provide answers to the mystery that is immortality. A new research facility would be funded, built, and maintained by the Guardian Unit of Nations in return for your help in Project Shadow. The cost, dates, and other technical details are explained on the contract we sent with the letter."

"Yes, I understand. And with my extensive knowledge on DNA and modifications of it, it should be possible to create such a creature. I agree to the terms listed in the contract; I have only one question."

Dr. Robotnik pulled out the contract, a large stack of papers in a black and gold G.U.N. folder. Grinning, he handed it to Commander Jenkins and leaned back in his chair.

"When do I start?"

**xxx**

Commander Jenkins tried to remember the time leading up to the ARK's opening, but it all seemed to blur together. What he could recall was that with Gerald agreeing to help in Project Shadow, biologists, chemists, geneticists, and engineers flocked all over the globe in hopes of joining. Commanders Luther and Blaine had stayed on Earth to command the military, while Jenkins oversaw the development of the ARK and would eventually run it. With his supervision, the space station was finished being built around three years later.

The real issue began a few days before the research was planned to start. Nicholas and Hope Robotnik had been visiting the ARK before its opening. That's when the problem that was Maria originated. Being born in space, she developed a completely new disease, Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This forced her to stay on the space station to prevent it from getting worse. With the loss of his daughter-in-law and knowledge that his granddaughter would most likely die before reaching the age of fifteen, Dr. Robotnik's focus began to drift away from the project and more towards curing Maria. That meant the Commander had lost the most valuable person for the experiment. And it only got worse when Nick decided to…

Commander Jenkins let out an exasperated sigh. He was just one more mistake away from cutting Gerald out of the equation entirely. _I will get that immortality serum, and that idiot scientist can believe whatever lie about how it will benefit humanity he wants. That is, as long as I get my Ultimate Weapon._


	4. The Compromise

**Sonic Unity Issue 3: The Robotnik Saga (Part 3): The Compromise**

_Curiosity and sanity clash as Gerald debates how to take on the problem that is Black Doom._

* * *

_(A few minutes after the main story in Issue 2)_

"You can't come with me, Maria. It's too dangerous."

Gerald looked down at his granddaughter. She had her hands on her hips, face full of determination. He had even debated not facing Black Doom again at all, but it had to be done. And there was no way he was going to put her life at risk for it.

"But if he is the threat from the prophecy, shouldn't I go too? I mean, the Ruby must have given me that vision for a reason, right?"

Robotnik let out a sigh. Maria's newfound knowledge of the Prophecy worried him. She shouldn't have to deal with this, especially with everything else she was going through.

"No. I promise I'll let you help, but this is something I have to do alone," he said, crossing his arms. "To be honest, it's probably not a great idea for me to go back. Nevertheless, I don't have much choice; I need to prevent him from destroying the ARK...if that's what he plans on doing."

He bent down and grabbed her hand, clasping it between his own. "Please. Just...let me handle this."

"...okay."

Giving her a hug, he clenched his teeth. He was horrified knowing he would have to face Doom again. The creature was as powerful as he was mysterious. The doctor just prayed he would come back alive.

Turning away, he left her there, eerie light from the lab bouncing off the abandoned experiments he passed.

**xxx**

The lab was just as he had left it. Not a single thing was out of place, including the dark creature that had attacked him.

Black Doom was still frozen, floating above the couch, with his claw grasping the Phantom Ruby. Gerald's heart pounded in his chest, knowing he would have to confront the creature again. But this time would be different, right?

The doctor picked up a first aid pack from inside one of his desk drawers and busied himself with bandaging the cut on his forearm, glancing back every once in a while to make sure his visitor was still unconscious. It was a welcome distraction, though it didn't entirely keep him from thinking about all the possibilities he had of failing. He hated having to take this kind of a risk, trying to reason with the invader. _I should just tell the Commander...no...I don't know how long the Ruby will keep Doom there; when he wakes up and I'm gone, who knows what kind of destruction he'll bring. Not to mention the fact that the G.U.N. might not even be able to defeat a being like this. And if I don't tell anyone, he__ will just kill me after he has what he wants. There's no good option._

He studied Black Doom, trying to convince his stomach to stop somersaulting. He was disgusted by him. He had barged in, demanded answers, and threatened to kill Gerald if he didn't cooperate. But...that didn't mean he wasn't still curious. _Just what is he?_

Consumed by his thoughts, Gerald barely noticed when Doom's talon twitched, and his three, bloody eyes shot open. The doctor stumbled backwards, steadying himself with the side of his office chair.

The demonic creature ignored this. Slowly, he raised the Ruby up and stared into its depths. He twisted it around, taking in the gemstone from all angles.

For a few seconds, he stayed like that, focused completely on the Phantom Ruby. Not looking away, he broke the silence.

_"I require answers. You will provide them to me."_

"Yes," the professor responded. He knew what was at stake. His life.

A few moments passed before Doom's voice rang through his head. _"What is this jewel?"_

Gerald was taken aback at how calm his tone was. It lacked the venom he was expecting, which, to be honest, scared him just as much. _Just what had he seen?_

Clearing his throat, the doctor answered. "That's the Phantom Ruby."

Black Doom looked at him, clearly expecting a better answer. Gerald's mind raced, trying to come up with an explanation that would benefit him. He decided to just tell the truth. For then.

"It gives the user visions."

Doom didn't seem satisfied with that, but cast his gaze on the Ruby again.

_"You are familiar with the Chaos Emeralds, human?" _It was more of a question than a statement. Gerald nodded. _"This...Phantom Ruby...is connected with them in some way. How?"_

He, again, was surprised by the other's openness. The being had only minutes ago been prepared to kill him. He wasn't sure whether to be terrified or relieved. The question of what the Ruby had shown this mysterious intruder echoed in his mind again.

"The Master Emerald uses the Chaos Emeralds as outlets for its power. It uses the Phantom Ruby as an outlet for its knowledge."

_"I see." _He paused. _"It has come to my understanding that it would be in both of our interests to make an alliance."_

_Alliance._ Gerald tried to hide his confusion. The suggestion was so unexpected, so out of the blue; why did Doom want his help? And why did he suddenly trust the doctor?

He hesitated. Yet another risk. He wanted answers, but how would Black Doom react to his intentions being questioned? Clearing the doubt from his mind, he forced himself to speak.

"...but...why?"

The professor looked down at the floor. He could almost feel the creature's burning gaze as it rested on him.

_"You truly wish to know my intent?" _he asked, his deep voice steady. _"My race, the Black Arms, seeks the Chaos Emeralds. We wish to study them, to understand their mystical properties. We have always been intrigued by them, having seen their mysterious power thousands of years ago. However, this planet has changed. Its atmosphere is now impossible to transverse, leaving us unable to reach them."_

He raised his claw and motioned to the room around them. _"This is the first time we have been able to contact you, as our comet passes by this planet only once every fifty years or so. Your technology has allowed our species to meet once again."_

"This is...incredible!" Gerald gasped. Having all but forgotten the danger he had thought he was in, the professor wondered why Black Doom had threatened him so much earlier if all he wanted to do was acquire the Chaos Emeralds. He was sure there was more to the alien's plan. But his curiosity out won his weariness.

_"In return, I offer to aid in Project Shadow."_

_How does he know about Project Shadow? He seemed as if he didn't even know what this place was when I first encountered him._

Marking Doom's knowledge of the project up to the vision from the Phantom Ruby, Gerald pushed away his doubt again.

"I am intrigued, but...can I have a little time to think this over?"

The extraterrestrial moved his head in what he could only assume to be a nod. _"Yes. I will return tomorrow."_

In a flurry of motion, a red aura surrounded him. And before Robotnik had the chance to speak, he disappeared, taking the Phantom Ruby with him.

* * *

**Bonus Story: Perspective**

_Maria uncovers concerning things about Project Shadow, but they are put into perspective when compared to the danger of Black Doom. _

* * *

_(During the events of the main issue)_

Maria collapsed back into the black desk chair. Why wouldn't her grandfather let her help? What if he got hurt...or worse...

She wanted to do something, anything to help. It was infuriating. It wasn't right that he had to go through all this. And there was nothing she could do about it.

She spun around, her surroundings blurring together in a mix of grays and browns. She closed her eyes and tried to keep her thoughts at bay. Worrying wouldn't get her anywhere, but she couldn't help it. Dread consumed her mind.

She let out a frustrated sigh and stood up. She looked around the room, desperate for anything to keep her mind off of her grandpa and the intruder he had told her about, Black Doom.

Gerald's desk was covered in blueprints, paperwork, a single hammer, and a couple of screws he must have forgotten to clean up. His computer was on and the screens showed pictures of what looked to be crystals in small glass tubes labeled '_Chaos Drives.'_ There were other work stations that held more mechanical parts; she couldn't really tell what they were supposed to be, but they looked to be made of steel or iron. Dim light bounced off metal contraptions lining the walls of the lab, some rusting and covered in dust, while others were freshly polished and looked fairly new. Nothing really caught her eye, considering she hadn't the slightest idea what any of them were to be used for.

She walked around the edge of the room, absentmindedly running her hand across the worktables, taking in her grandfather's secret workplace. The gentle whirring of motors and clicking of gears echoed in her eardrums. The minutes passed painstakingly slowly.

Maria followed the wall into a corridor that was even darker than the lab. Eerie green light shone from dozens upon dozens of glass containers, each one of them reaching from the floor all the way to the ceiling. They held some kind of weird liquid, and there were dark figures in each one. She couldn't make out what was in the glowing liquid, but it sent chills up her spine. She read the digital label at the bottom of one of the pods. _'UL-45 - Android Status: N/A.'_

She peered down the hallway. There was a computer at the end of it, but it was far enough away that she couldn't tell what the screen read. She didn't bother to walk any further. The girl had an uneasy feeling about the place, and started back towards the laboratory. She couldn't shake the uncanny feeling that she wasn't alone, though she knew there was no way anyone else was there.

As she made her way back, her steps became longer and her pulse quickened. The warm light of the room engulfed her in warm light and she realized she was panting. Her muscles ached and her chest pounded. "Not again, I just got _out_ of the infirmary." For what easily could have been the millionth time, she felt helpless against her disease. NIDS continued to control her.

Sitting down at the computer, she let herself rest for a few seconds. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her hand to the mouse and clicked out of the file that was shown on the monitor. She scrolled over and clicked on an ARK symbol icon labeled _'Database.'_

After sorting through a series of files, her cursor rested on a small box labeled _'Confidential: Professor G. Robotnik - Project Shadow Private Record.'_ She pressed it and entered in a ten-digit code her grandfather had shown her. A little bit of pride welled up in her chest; she was the only person on the whole ARK that he had entrusted with the password.

She clicked the _'enter'_ key, and Gerald's notes from the past few months popped up. After being away for so long, she wanted to know what progress he had made with the Biolizard. Maybe he had even written about the Prophecy. In the futile attempt to push away her fear and worry for her grandfather, Maria read on.

**xxx**

_He had to give it up? But he was so close!_ Had her grandfather really been forced to stop all his research on the Biolizard? Why would Commander Jenkins do that to him?

Skimming the rest of the document, she saw that he had continued to write about the experiment.

_'I can't risk another of my creations going rogue, so there will be no more 'Biolizards'' . . . 'I don't know how androids will help me get any closer to the immortality serum, but I have to try. It's my duty to find a solution.'_

_Robots?_

Maria was confused. Why did he care so much about the project when it was clear that he couldn't get any information from what he was doing?

She went to scroll down, but that was the last entry. It was from two months ago.

Project Shadow was at a standstill. And time was running out until Jenkins would take action.

But compared to what they were up against now... She shivered. The problems with the project seemed trivial.

* * *

**Okay, so here's an update about updates:**

I will be posting upload dates and other stuff about Sonic Unity and future projects on my 'Forums' page. Make sure to check it out!


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